Nowadays, apparatuses are known that allow to prepare and dispense refrigerated products of the type of traditional water-based water ice or alternatively creamy products such as creamy ice-creams, sorbets, coffee creams.
These known apparatuses are generally constituted by a tank suitable to contain the product to be prepared and dispensed, wherein a cooling device for cooling the product to the appropriate temperature and a mixing device that causes the continuous circulation of the product inside the tank are arranged. The circulation device, consisting for example of a screw member driven in rotation according to an axis longitudinal to the tank, is predisposed to convey the cooled product towards a front zone, where a dispensing device for the product is arranged. The dispensing device is provided with an obturator element that can be operated by means of an external lever member.
The cooling device is usually constituted by a coil evaporator arranged inside a tubular body, substantially cylindrical, arranged according to the horizontal axis of the tank. The evaporator is connected to a refrigerating unit housed inside a base body on which the containment tank for the product is mounted. The screw member of the mixing device winds on the tubular body of the evaporator.
An apparatus for dispensing refrigerated products of such type is disclosed for example in international application WO 03/082022.
Apparatuses are also known that allow to produce and dispense hot beverages, in particular beverages obtained by mixing water with soluble products in previously set doses. These apparatuses are generally provided with a heating boiler for water, with one or more containers for the soluble products and with a mixing device for dosed quantity of water and soluble product. A dispensing device, arranged in a front zone of the apparatus, allows to dispense the so prepared hot beverage.
The cited apparatuses have a well-established and recognizable structure. Therefore, the need is felt for innovative technical features that allows to customize the same apparatus.